Comments on: The DreamHost Nightmare http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/ The Get Satisfaction blog Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:48:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: dhsux http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/comment-page-1/#comment-5686 dhsux Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:19:54 +0000 http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/#comment-5686 Dreamhost's problem isn't their PR technique, but rather their almost complete lack of customer service. They do respond to emails, but they don't track the problem so the customer service reps never know the history of what has happened. And Dreamhost's brand of funny means insulting the customer even when it's Dreamhost causing the problem. DreamHost's poor customer service has led to a serious privacy invasion. When my client attempted to sign up for an account, the transaction hung halfway through. When customer service (which can only be reached by tedious email exchanges) "fixed" the problem, the pay by credit card option was no longer available. The customer service representative insisted that we use Google Payments. I proceeded, and then my client realized his financial information is now in the Google system. The worst possible scenario then came true. Instead of completing the transaction, Google called my client's bank for "preapproval". This was not to complete the transaction (which was never completed), but to gather information for Google's marketing. My client is furious, reviewing everyone's privacy policy, and is looking into ways to bring this problem up at the political, and possibly the legal, level. Throughout this whole situation, Dreamhost has been nothing but pig-headed. Every customer service representative ignores the case history and either refers us back to Google Payments or says patronizing things like we could have paid with the original credit card system. I offered them a solution where I quietly pay for the account using Google transactions, and they won't even let me help bail them out!!! I will never refer another client to dreamhost. Right now I'm looking for the best place to air this complaint publicly in as many places as possible. People have to know that when Dreamhost pushes people into using Google Payments, Google then has their financial information to aggregate and deploy for their own purposes. Addendum: Dreamhost customer service reps also flame customers who complain on their forums. I know because one accidentally used his forum ID while responding to an email with the customer service issue header on it. Dreamhost’s problem isn’t their PR technique, but rather their almost complete lack of customer service. They do respond to emails, but they don’t track the problem so the customer service reps never know the history of what has happened. And Dreamhost’s brand of funny means insulting the customer even when it’s Dreamhost causing the problem.

DreamHost’s poor customer service has led to a serious privacy invasion. When my client attempted to sign up for an account, the transaction hung halfway through. When customer service (which can only be reached by tedious email exchanges) “fixed” the problem, the pay by credit card option was no longer available. The customer service representative insisted that we use Google Payments. I proceeded, and then my client realized his financial information is now in the Google system. The worst possible scenario then came true. Instead of completing the transaction, Google called my client’s bank for “preapproval”. This was not to complete the transaction (which was never completed), but to gather information for Google’s marketing. My client is furious, reviewing everyone’s privacy policy, and is looking into ways to bring this problem up at the political, and possibly the legal, level.

Throughout this whole situation, Dreamhost has been nothing but pig-headed. Every customer service representative ignores the case history and either refers us back to Google Payments or says patronizing things like we could have paid with the original credit card system. I offered them a solution where I quietly pay for the account using Google transactions, and they won’t even let me help bail them out!!!

I will never refer another client to dreamhost. Right now I’m looking for the best place to air this complaint publicly in as many places as possible. People have to know that when Dreamhost pushes people into using Google Payments, Google then has their financial information to aggregate and deploy for their own purposes.

Addendum: Dreamhost customer service reps also flame customers who complain on their forums. I know because one accidentally used his forum ID while responding to an email with the customer service issue header on it.

]]> By: aka Chief Sales Servant » Seriously?!?! http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/comment-page-1/#comment-1387 aka Chief Sales Servant » Seriously?!?! Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:50:13 +0000 http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/#comment-1387 [...] Plenty has been said about the major mistake made by webhost DreamHost overbilled it’s customers in the amount of $7.5 million dollars. There has been a wide range of responses from customers, competitors and customer service experts. There is a great analysis of the goods and bads of this experience by Service Untitled’s blog. I’d like to put on my Adultitis diagnosis hat and put my two cents in. [...] [...] Plenty has been said about the major mistake made by webhost DreamHost overbilled it’s customers in the amount of $7.5 million dollars. There has been a wide range of responses from customers, competitors and customer service experts. There is a great analysis of the goods and bads of this experience by Service Untitled’s blog. I’d like to put on my Adultitis diagnosis hat and put my two cents in. [...]

]]> By: Join the Conversation! - Join the Conversation Links - Wednesday, January 16 2008 http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/comment-page-1/#comment-1380 Join the Conversation! - Join the Conversation Links - Wednesday, January 16 2008 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:58:44 +0000 http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2008/01/15/the-dreamhost-nightmare/#comment-1380 [...] The DreamHost Nightmare By Eric Suesz Did they simply shore up their base of dedicated customers who like to laugh, at the expense of more serious-minded customers? What about that swing vote? DreamHost is on Get Satisfaction, and you can join the conversation about them … Demand Satisfaction! - http://blog.getsatisfaction.com [...] [...] The DreamHost Nightmare By Eric Suesz Did they simply shore up their base of dedicated customers who like to laugh, at the expense of more serious-minded customers? What about that swing vote? DreamHost is on Get Satisfaction, and you can join the conversation about them … Demand Satisfaction! – http://blog.getsatisfaction.com [...]

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